N Brown Group plc (LSE: BWNG) is a British business group and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index based in Manchester, England. It trades as a home shopping retailer under several names, including JD Williams, Jacamo, SimplyBe and High and Mighty.
The oldest company within the group was founded by James David Williams in 1859 when he started in business operating three mobile shops.
The company flourished, but the family connection was broken when the Williams family interests were bought out by Alliance Brothers Limited in 1963. Other catalogue companies were purchased, and the holding company for these became N Brown Investments.
In 1970 the Company, then still called JD Williams, was wholly acquired by Sir David Alliance who reversed it into his property company N Brown Group plc.
In a joint venture with Northern and Shell, owners of the Daily Express, on 21 October 2004, the company launched the Express Shopping Channel. This closed in 2005.
In 2007 the Company won the Manchester Evening News "Business Of The Year" title for businesses with a turnover exceeding £50m.
Source: Wikipedia
